Match box dispenser



\ 23 El. F, JQHNSQN MATCH BOX DISPENSER Filed May 16, 1941 Patented July 28, 1942 LJET-E.

ATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a device especially designed for dispensing individual boxes of matches for home consumption.

The object of the invention is to provide a match box dispenser of simple and inexpensive construction adapted to be suspended from the wall of a kitchen or other suitable support and by means of which a supply of matches will be readily accessible for convenient and instant use when desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a match box dispenser, the construction of which is such that after some of the matches in a box have been used, the box containing the unused matches may be housed Within the magazine of the dispenser so as to be out of the way and thus prevent children from obtaining access to the matches and surreptitiously lighting the same with possible danger of burning themselves or their home.

A further object is to provide a dispensing apparatus including a magazine having a box receiving slide or carrier associated therewith and provided with a spring-pressed detent for preventing vertical displacement of the match boxes within the magazine when the carrier functions to deliver a box of matches cr to return a partially used box of matches to a position beneath the full boxes of unused matches, said detent being actuated by the carrier when the latter is empty to permit the delivery of a single box of matches thereto.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efiiciency as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

En the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specication and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a match box dispensing apparatus embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the box carrier pressing the spring detent laterally so as to permit the lowermost box of matches in the magazine to enter the carrier, and

Figure 3 is a similar view showing how the spring detent holds the boxes of matches in the magazine against vertical displacement while a box containing matches, some of which have been used, is being housed beneath the magazine until itis desired to remove further matches from said box.

The improved dispensing apparatus forming the subject-matter of the present invention comprises a casing or housing 5 open at its front and rear and having its edges bent inwardly to form spaced vertically disposed flanges 6 deiining a magazine I for the reception of a number of boxes of matches, indicated at 8. The flanges 6 at the rear of the casing 5 are connected by spaced transverse plates 9 and I5 having openings I I formed therein for the reception of nails or screws, by means of which the device may be conveniently attached to a wall, kitchen cabinet or other suitable support.

The casing 5 is provided with a bottom plate I2, the forward end of which is extended laterally beyond the front of the magazine 'I to form a delivery apron I3 having upstanding downwardly tapered side flanges I4, as shown. The bottom plate I2 and apron I3 are formed with a continuous slot or opening I5, and extending across the apron at the forward end of the slot and across the bottom plate I2 at the rear end of the slot are transverse bars I6 and Il which form, in effect, stops for a movable slide or carrier, indicated at I8.

The carrier I8 is provided with an opstanding back plate I9 and at its front end with spaced upstanding stop lugs or fingers 2i) for preventing displacement of a box of matches deposited within the carrier. Depending from the bottom of the carrier I8 and extending through the slot I5 is a finger-piece or knob 2i, by means of which the slide or carrier may be moved to extended or retracted positions. It will here be noted that the finger-piece 2| by engagement with the cross bar I6 serves to limit the outward movement of the slide or carrier While the rear cross bar I'I by engagement with the finger-piece serves to limit rearward sliding movement of the carrier. A collar or washer 22 preferably surrounds the base of the finger-piece El and bears against the bottom plate I2 and apron I3 to assist in guiding the carrier.V

Secured to the lower transverse plate It is a yieldable detent 23, preferably in the form ol a relatively thin fiat spring. the upper end of which is soldered or otherwise rigidly secured to the plate I@ while the lower end thereof is normally inclined within the magazine l, said detent being provided with an angular terminal d defining a shoulder 25 adapted to yieldably engage the lowermost box of matches within the magazine 'l'. and prevent the remaining boxes of matches from dropping downwardly until the spring detent is released by the action of the slide or carrier.

The operation of the device is as follows. The magazine 'I is lled or partially filled with boxes of matches and the apparatus suspended from a kitchen wall or kitchen cabinet, as previously described. The detent 23 normally projects within the magazine 'I with the shoulder 25 resting against the lowermost box in the magazine so as to prevent said boxes from dropping downwardly. If a box of matches is desired, the carrier I8 is pushed rearwardly by means of the finger-piece 2I until the rear wall I9 of the carrier engages the angular terminal 24 when a further rearward movement of the carrier will press said terminal outwardly, thereby disengaging the shoulder 25 from the adjacent box of matches and permitting the lowermost box to drop downwardly within the carrier. The box in the carrier may now be removed by pulling outwardly on the finger-piece 2| so as to present the selected box between the flanges of the apron I3, and during the forward movement of the carrier, the detent will hold the match boxes within the magazine against vertical displacement. After some of the matches in the selected box have been used, the box containing the remaining unused matches may be housed beneath the boxes of unused matches within the magazine by pressing rearwardly on the linger-piece 2|, as will be readily understood. The box of partially used matches may be withdrawn from the magazine on the carrier each time it is desired to use a match from said box without affecting the remaining boxes of matches in the magazine which boxes of matches, as previously stated, are locked against displacement by the spring detent during the movement of the carrier. This is a decided advantage in match dispensing apparatus of the kind adapted for home use inasmuch as, after some of the matches in a box have been used, the box containing the remaining matches can be housed within the dispenser so as to prevent mischievous children from obtaining access to the box of matches and surreptitiously removing and igniting one or more of said matches with possible danger of burning themselves or their home. After one of the boxes of matches has been entirely consumed, it is removed from the carrier and the empty carrier pressed rearwardly until the rear wall I9 thereof releases the detent 23, thus permitting a single box of matches within the magazine to drop onto the carrier for delivery at the apron I3, the resilient action of the shoulder 25 serving to hold the remaining boxes of matches within the magazine against displacement during this operation.

It will, of course, be understood that the dispensers may be made in different sizes and shapes and constructed of any suitable material without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a magazine adapted to receive superposed boxes of matches, a spring detent having a shoulder normally bearing against the lowermost box of matches and provided with a laterally deected terminal, and. a box carrier slidably mounted beneath the magazine in the path of said terminal and having a limited reciprocating movement without affecting the detent, said carrier being movable into engagement With the terminal for releasing the detent and permitting the carrier to receive a single box of matches.

2. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a closed bottom and provided with a magazine adapted to receive superposed boxes of matches, a box carrier slidably mounted on the bottom of the casing, a spring detent normally projecting within the magazine and provided with a shoulder yieldably engaging the lowermost box in said magazine, said detent being provided with a laterally deflected terminal disposed in the path of the carrier and actuated thereby to release the detent, and a ringer-piece depending from the box carrier for moving said carrier to extended and retracted positions.

3. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a closed bottom terminating in a delivery apron and provided with a magazine adapted to receive superposed boxes of matches, said bottom and apron being slotted, a spring detent having one end thereof secured to the casing and its other end yieldably engaging the lowermost box of matches in the magazine, a box carrier slidably mounted on the apron and movable to a position beneath the magazine, and a finger-piece depending from the bottom of the box carrier and extending through said slotted portion for moving the box carrier to extended and retracted positions.

4. A device of the class described comprising a casing having spaced front and rear inwardly extending flanges defining a magazine adapted to receive superposed boxes of matches, spaced cross bars connecting the rear anges and having openings therein for the reception of securing members, a spring detent having its upper end secured to the lower bar and having its lower end normally inclined within the magazine and provided with an angular shoulder yieldably engaging the lowermost box of matches in the magazine, a box carrier slidably mounted beneath the magazine and having a limited reciprocating movement without affecting the detent, said carrier being provided with a rear wall and forward upstanding stop ngers, and a nger-piece secured to the box carrier for moving said carrier to extended and retracted positions, the rear wall of the box carrier by engagement with the lower end of the detent serving to release the same and permit a single box of matches to drop onto the carrier.

5. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a magazine adapted to receive a plurality of superposed boxes of matches, said casing being provided with a closed bottom terminating in a delivery apron, inclined iianges extending upwardly from opposite sides of the delivery apron, said delivery apron and bottom of the casing being provided with a continuous slot, a spring detent normally projecting within the magazine and bearing against the lowermost box of matches in the magazine, a box carrier slidably mounted on the delivery apron and movable to a position beneath the boxes of matches in the magazine, and a ringer-piece depending from the box carrier and extending through said slots for manually moving the box carrier to extended and retracted positions.

6. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a closed bottom, the front portion of which is extended to form a delivery apron, there being a longitudinal slot formed in said bottom and apron, stop bars extending across the bottom and apron respectively at said slots, a. magazine adapted to receive a plurality of boxes of matches, a spring detent having an angular shoulder yieldably engaging the lowermost box of matches in the magazine and provided with a laterally deected terminal, a box carrier slidably mounted on the apron and provided with spaced upstanding stop ngers and a rear Wall movable into engagement with the angular terminal, and a finger-piece secured to the box carrier and extending through said slot for moving the box carrier to extended and retracted positions.

7. A device of the class described comprising a magazine adapted to receive a plurality of superposed boxes of matches, a detent yieldably engaging the lowermost box of matches and provided With an angularly disposed terminal, a box carrier slidably mounted beneath the magazine for moving a box of matches to extended and retracted positions without aiecting the detent, said box carrier being provided with a rear wall movable into engagement with the angular terminal of the detent for releasing the same and permitting the deposit of a single box of matches onto the carrier.

8. A device of the class described comprising a magazine adapted to receive a plurality of superposed boxes of matches, a spring detent normally projecting within the magazine and having its lower end provided With a shoulder yieldably engaging the lowermost box of matches in the magazine and provided with an angular terminal, a box carrier slidably mounted beneath the magazine and movable to extended and retracted positions without affecting the detent, said box carrier being provided with a rear Wall adapted to engage the angular terminal of the detent for releasing the same and permitting a single box of matches to be deposited in the carrier.

BENJAMIN F. JOHNSON. 

